Improvement in seal-locks for packing-boxes



UNTTED STATES PATENT anion.

BENJAMIN S. ATWOOD, OF SOUTH ABINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN SEAL-LOCKS FOR PACKING-BOXES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 207,234, dated August 20,1878 application filed January 16, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN S. ATwooD, of South Abington, in the county of Plymouth and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Packing-Boxes 5 and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form part of this specification.

The nature of my invention relates to packing or shipping boxes; and it consists in the construction of a tag-holder and safety locking device composed of a recess formed in the lid, with cross-bars and springs having projecting spurs, and in the combination of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe its construction and operation, referring to the annexed drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of my box. Fig. 2 is a perspective view, showing the lid raised; and Figs. 3 and 4 are detail sections of parts of the box.

A represents a box or crate of any suitable dimensions, provided with a lid, B, hinged at one side. On the under side of the lid B is-a cross-bar, C, having a metal plate, D, attached to its under side at the front end and projecting forward of said front end. On the inner side of the front of the box is made a vertical recess or groove, in which is inserted a spring, E, theupper end whereof is bent over downward and inward, so that when the lid B is closed said end will catch over the projecting end of the plate D, and thus lock the lid.

Directly over the end of the plate D is a hole, a, made in the lid, through which a nail 0r other instrument or the nger may be inserted for pressing back the spring E, and thus unlock the box.

In the uppersurface of the lid B, at the front portion, is made a recess, F, of suitable size to receive a tag or card for the address. The ends of this recess are made inclined, so that the tag or card can be easily inserted or drawn out from under two cross-bars, G G, which are let into the lid so as to be iiush with the upper surface thereof.

0n the under side of the lid are secured two at springs, H H, which are fastened at their rear ends and project forward, so lthat in closing the lid their front ends will be clamped between the lid and the top edge of the box. These springs are formed or provided with spurs or pins b b, which pass upward through holes :in the lid. Holes are made in the crossbars G for the reception of the points of said spurs.

When the lid is open the action of the springs H H is such as to lwithdraw the spurs b from below the upper surface of the recess F. The holes for these spurs, as Well as the hole a, open in said recess. The tag or card, being addressed, is pushed into the recess F under the bars G G. The lid is then closed, as above stated, by simply pressing down l011 the same until the spring E catches on the plate D. The closing of the lid causes the springs H to lie at against the under side of the lid and the spurs b to pass upward through the tag or card, and thus securely hold the same in position, so that it cannot be removed Without tearing it. At the same time this tag or card entirely covers the opening a, through which alone the box can be opened.

The only way to open the box is either to remove the tag by tearing the same, (and this is difficult, as the bars G are so arranged as to cover the ends thereof, and the tag lills the recess,) or by making a hole in the tag, so that an instrument can be inserted through the opening a; In either case it can at once be seen that the box has been tampered with.

This box is intended for the transportation of bottled beer, fruit, or any articles where the boxes or crates have to be returned to the place or owner to be refilled, a-nd it saves all the time and tacks that are now used to fasten the tags, and it locks the box for transportation.

The recess F protects the tag or card from being torn off in sliding one box upon another. The bars G hold the tag down in the recess.

The spring-fastener operated through the hole in the lid being shown in @recent patent granted to me, I do, of course, not claim the same by itself in this case.

Having" thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

'1. In a shipping-box, the combination of the lid B, provided With recess F and cross-bars G G, and the springs H H, with spurs b b, substantiaily as und for the purposes herein set forth.

2. The combination of the box A, .hinged iid B, having aperture a, recess F, and crossbars G Gr, the spring-lock D E, und the springs H, with the spurs b b, all constructed substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I my signature in presence of two witnesses.

B. S. ATWOOD. Vitnesses:

ARTHUR COLEMAN, JosHUA HALKWOOD. 

